12 teams ready to compete in Union netball tournament

Dar es Salaam. Twelve teams have qualified for the Union Netball League scheduled to take place in Tanga Region from November 28 to December 7.

The competition will take place at the Bandari Court and Police Chumbageni Court respectively.

Competing teams from Mainland Tanzania are JKT Mbweni, Uhamiaji, Jeshi Stars, Jiji Tanga, Mgulani JKT and Eagle Queens. Zanzibar will field KVZ, Mafunzo, JKU, Zimamoto, Urowa and Chipukizi. Defending champions Tamisemi have been eliminated after failing to feature in the Mainland Tanzania clubs championships.

Tanzania Amateur Netball Association (Chaneta) secretary general Judith Ilunda said the teams would be categorised into two groups and play in a league basis and top two teams in each group will qualify for a semifinal. Ilunda said the teams have booked the union championship berth after finishing in good positions at the National Clubs Championship held in Tanga Region and Unguja respectively.

She said each team is required to pay Sh400,000 as a competing fee before the start of the tournament.

Ilunda said the body is currently preparing for the competition from which teams will be picked to represent the country in the East Africa Clubs competition next year.

“We have already selected the teams that will head to Tanga for the Union League basing on their recent performances. It is, therefore, up to them to continue to train for the eagerly awaited tournament,” said Ilunda.

“It is my belief that we will get the finest teams for the East African showpiece this year. Our goal is to win all regional honours; we’re tired of being dominated by Ugandan and Kenyan teams,” she said.

Ilunda explained that the body is now struggling to get sponsors to make the competition successful.

She said Chaneta has no funds to facilitate the officials of the competition and needs support from the stakeholders.

“Things are not well as we do not have funds for the competition.

We have so many talented netball players targeting to get development through the game,” she said.